Garage | Bowling and Billiards on Capitol Hill

Hip. Swank. Clean. Those are the last three words I’d ever expect to use to describe a bowling alley and billiards parlor. While the game is the same at Garage, the experience is unlike any other in Seattle. As the premier bowling alley and billiards parlor in Capitol Hill (and likely the entire city), Garage puts a modern spin on the classic American pastime.

Garage

The vibe at Garage feels nothing like your typical bowling ally. It has more of a laid back club or bar vibe. The space is huge (it used to be home to a Plymouth dealership and car garage– hence the name). The rooms are large and the ceilings are tall. There are 20 bowling lanes and 25 pool tables. Tim and I can’t think of a time where we have seen more pool tables in one spot before. Beautiful, big murals cover some of the walls while bright paint and funky art hangs on other walls. Retro light fixtures keep the space glowing. It’s seriously a super hip place and perfect for the Capitol Hill neighbor which oozes with cool.

Garage definitely caters to the 21 and over crowd. There are three separate bars and plenty of tables and lounge space to hang out. Even if you don’t want to bowl, but are looking for a place with a fun vibe and a lot of action, Garage is a great option. Keep in mind, minors are not allowed to bowl or play pool. They are only welcome in the restaurant and patio areas before 10pm.

There are 25 bowling lanes at Garage.

You bowl by the hour, rather than the game at Garage. It can sometimes be hard to figure out exactly how many games you’ll want to play or be able to play, especially if you are with a group of people. Perhaps you know you want to play for 2 hours. Rather than guess how many games your group of 5 will be able bowl in that time frame, you can just pay by the hour. Plus, there is no limit to the number of games or number of people who can play on each lane (though you can only keep score for up to eight bowlers at a time). You can also rent shoes at $4 a pair and reserve a lane in advance for $10.

The billiards room at Garage.

The price to bowl and play pool varies. Depending on the day of the week and the time of day, it will cost between $5 and $25 an hour to bowl. The most expensive time to visit is Friday and Saturday nights. It costs between $11 to $14 an hour to play pool (also depends on the day and time). We like visiting Garage during happy hour. Not only are drinks cheaper, but so is the bowling. From 3-7 p.m., it will only cost you $10 per hour to bowl and $5 per hour to play pool. They also offer late night happy hour Sunday-Thursday starting at 10 p.m. with $5 per hour to bowl and play pool. Another great part about this place is that it’s open until 2am everyday.

Garage is also a great place to hold an event. They have a three private rooms you can rent out. Their website says it can accommodate groups of 60 to 1,200 (crazy!).

Say goodbye to dark, dusty, out of date decor and the stale smell of cigarette smoke we often associate with bowling alleys. Garage on Capitol Hill offers a fun, clean, colorful spin on bowling and billiards in Seattle.

Have you ever gone bowling or played pool at Garage? What did you think? We’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+. Don’t forget to also check out Seattle Bloggers for more cool places to check out around Seattle.